Visiting the Dentist - Get Rid of Your Child's Fears Once and For All

One of the most common fears kids have besides the Boogie Man can be the dentist. Whether it's a man or woman coming out in a white coat or all the strange tools and sounds, kids can have an immense fear of getting their teeth worked on. If you don't want your child to grow up with a big aversion to this kind of doctor, implement a few of these ideas below.

1. Start early. One way to really help your child not be afraid of the dentist is with early exposure. This means taking him or her for a cleaning and x-rays when nothing's wrong. This way, they will relate going to this doctor as a pleasant experience, or at least a non-negative routine. Sometimes parents wait until their child is having a tooth problem. This can backfire, since a doctor may need to perform a filling, and your child's first experience is with scary needles and drills.

2. Visit a pediatric professional. Even though you may think your child needs to go to the same mouth doctor that the rest of your family has gone through, this may not be the best thing for your child. Some kids are really afraid and need the help of an experienced pediatric specialist. These doctors have many ideas and tactics to help kids relax and so doctors can do their much-needed work.

3. Reward them for a job well done. Before you go to the dentist, be sure to inform your child of all the rewards he or she can get if they are really brave. You can even go as far as buying the rewards early and placing a bunch of different items in a basket. Show your child the basket ahead of time and tell them they will be able to get something from the basket. This way, they will be so excited about the reward they may get that this could help them calm down in the doctor's chair.

4. Don't be against sedation. If you know your child is extremely fearful and you've tried an array of ideas, it won't hurt to allow your child to be sedated. Laughing gas is enough for some kids, but others need something a little stronger. Be sure to discuss such options with the dentist to figure out what will work best.

5. Keep your child busy. Sometimes, if a kid has something that can keep their mind off what the doctor is doing, this can be a lifesaver. Things like special toys, blankets, or other pleasant props can help your child be a little more at ease while sitting in the doctor's chair. Also, if the child has music they can listen to, this will be a great time to encourage earplugs to drown out the noise from the doctor's drill and other devices.